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Yesterday, during an interview, I was made privvy to a really wonderful statistic: More bicycles were bought last year than cars! Of course, that was due to the mini oil-shock we had in 2008, but I'll take it. And for all the times I was nearly flattened by motorists as I pedaled past Tower Grove Park, I have to say St. Louis is not a bad bike town. Between the Banana Bicycle Brigade, TrailNet and the gearheads who congregate at places like Big Shark and A&M, there really is a good solid bike culture here. There are also all kinds of interesting places to pedal, from the Riverfront Trail to city parks to strange little one-way-street neighborhoods that are hellish to try to explore in a car.
To that end, if your tires are flat (I'm ashamed to admit that mine are right now, even though it's been a lovely, cool summer -- perfect for riding) just looking at the biking events that are on the docket for August may inspire you to reinflate your tubes and hit the road on two wheels. TrailNet actually does rides pretty much every night of the week (they have a nighttime RiverFront trail ride every Tuesday, including tonight) as well as nifty special rides, like the Hike It, Bike it or Cave It event on August 19 (see that and more on their full calendar, here). But wait, there's more! For those who pursue biking as an athletic activity, the Midwest Fat Tire series continues on August 9 with the Trailblazer Blitz at Spanish Lake Pond; for those whose relationship with their bike is similar to Woodie Guthrie's relationship with his guitar, there is the World Naked Bike Ride, which is a protest against oil dependency, as well as an affirmation of carbon-free transportation and positive body image. For those who just love to bicycle on tires skinny, fat or inbetween, August offers the granddaddy event of them all, the Moonlight Ramble. And though apparently it was never really on the chopping block, we can now feel extra jubilant about the Tour of Missouri in September, after contemplating its demise earlier this year. --Stefene Russell
